The Trainspotting and Trainspotting T2 saga that I explored again recently made me look again at my position in the addition spectrum.
People criticise Trainspotting and its sequel, I thought both films were a work of art and did what movies are supposed to do and made me stop, think, question, re assess and inspire.
The ‘choose life’ monologues in both films are so powerful but the message from the second film about accepting that your are an addict saying “be addicted to something else” is one of the most powerful things I have seen for ages.
Some while ago I invested the WHO definition of addiction and the behaviours associated with it. It was bizarre to apply that to some aspects of my life, I clearly show at least 4 out of the 7 categories of addiction.
What is interesting though is if you use that prism to view the people around you, you see how many people around you are addicted to so many things without realising. So it’s worth considering what the common ‘acceptable’ addictions are that we see each other everyday.
- Most if not everybody is addicted to the imagined concept of happiness is brought by more money.
- Carbohydrates (One of my worst, the one where I exhibit the most of the WHO signs of addiction)
- Most particularly and blindly the middle classes. Many people celebrate the fact that they ‘don’t drink during the week’ just think for a minute how ridiculous that sounds.
- If you check your phone when you first wake in the morning or you’re doing it before you go to sleep at night the chances are you cannot live without it.
- Internet Pornography. Look at the latest figures on the use of Internet Pornography. I know that nobody is doing this!! But somebody is doing it.
- Internet shopping. If you are receiving a parcel from Amazon or Wiggle almost every day at your house, you are a compulsive consumer.
- More and more a compulsive addiction. Both in terms of cardiovascular exercise and ‘vanity muscle’ exercise.
It’s ok to be an addict but probably better to know where you are and do it out of ‘choice’ rather than unconsciously as something driven by society.
Blog post number: 1369
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